this post was submitted on 10 Feb 2024
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[–] Kbobabob 16 points 9 months ago (4 children)

Some people don't want to feel like they have to stop every hour for 15-20 minutes. If I'm going on a long road trip I'm fine driving 300-400 miles without stopping. I'm probably a minority but I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

You're certainly not the only one but you're also being grossly irresponsible. Sufficient breaks are essential for staying attentive. Not stopping for five or six hours is just asking for disaster. Just think about what you're going to feel like if you killed someone because you fell asleep at the wheel.

Edit: and as per usual, lots of downvotes but no counterargument

[–] Mr_Dr_Oink 9 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Gonna upvote you, anyone who isnt taking regular breaks on long trips is asking for trouble. This is true of anything we do. No one here is going to argue we should work for 5-8 hours without a break.

They only make driving lessons 45 minutes because any longer and you start to lose concentration.

Truck drivers have to take breaks every 4.5 hours for 45 minutes.

When studying they recommend a 15 minute break every 45 minutes

When learning in school lessons are 45 minutes to an hour due to concentration lapsing and you get a break in the middle of the day.

If you are being downvoted its only by people who dont think about what you are saying or they think they are superhuman and the normal limitations of human beings dont apply to them.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Truck drivers have to take breaks every 4.5 hours for 45 minutes.

Is this a specific state requirement? I ask because that's not what the FMCSA says. It's 30 minute break every 8 hours (USA) and it can be any activity including including work (except driving) that would satisfy the requirement. Source, am a truck driver and https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations see 30-minute driving break section.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I’m most familiar (although casually) either UK/EU rules, and this page has an excellent breakdown of what’s considered the bare minimum this side of the pond for safety.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/drivers-hours-goods-vehicles/1-eu-and-aetr-rules-on-drivers-hours

Personally I prefer to have a 20-30 min break every 2 hours which leaves me feeling sufficiently refreshed, and conveniently works perfectly for changing a 64kWh EV enough to do the next leg at the same ratio. I honestly believe switching to an EV has forced me to become a safer driver with regard to taking breaks.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

I think most of the regulations for truckers here in the US were made in mind with how long the distance is between everything.

As far as driving my EV goes, ideally I would like to get 3-4 driving hours in before recharges, but only when the drive is longer than 6 hours total. I'd rather just get there sooner. I currently drive a Bolt EUV and it's an hour charging for every 2-3 driving. Longer road trips take some planning especially when driving across middle America where the charging network isn't that great yet. Meals are easy, but in between meals planning an hour long stop can be challenging.

[–] Mr_Dr_Oink 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Sorry im in the UK and was going off the uk and eu laws.

30 minutes every 8 hours must be tough. Do you do back to back periods of 8 hours?

I was just thinking that if its 8 hours then a break but your shift is done, then the break is just the end of your shift.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

All of our driving has to be completed in 14 hours (11 hours driving total). When I drove over the road (not home every night) I usually tried to aim for a leg stretch every 4 hours. I'd usually walk around the rig and check things out for leg stretchers. For the 30 min break I would find a rest area or a truck stop and have a proper meal and I usually took longer than 30 for that break unless the place was boring. When i would take breaks were usually determined by location along the route.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

If there are reliable and fast chargers every 50 miles you’ll have several choices in that 300-400 mile range and we already have plenty of cars capable of that. The goal is not to have everyone stop at every charger. But to allow more people to drive how they are most comfortable and maybe even enable more cars to road trip.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

You’re not the only one. Most people try to make as much distance as possible between stops.

[–] Jarix 1 points 9 months ago

We need more data for everyone to see.

We need to see what the average vehicle owner does with their vehicles.

Because the people who use their cars they most need the best experience, but they used the vehicle differently than the majority of people.

Evs need to be released on different models for different styles.

If you only travel with people that need constant breaks, then there no reason needing a 15 to 20 minute break frequently can't be made to work with a lower range vehicle if you only need to do long trips a few times a year or less. The savings of having that vehicle the rest of the time should be made to more than offset any special needs that aren't needed often.

There's other options to explore as well. Like it's easy to find example of vehicles with multiple gas tanks. If you need an extended battery there should be a trailer like attachment that extends the range of your vehicle. Make towing something get you better range because the thing you added towing is extra "fuel"

I'm sure there are technical problems that will need to be addressed or solved and it might require car companies to change designs about to make it seams but it's very doable